Archbishop Gómez pushes immigration bill and calls for order and peace in the streets

Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which oversees churches across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara,the nation's largest Catholic community, is voicing his concern over recent immigration enforcement and the violence that erupted in Minneapolis. 

Amid the numerous immigration enforcement operations across the country and recent deaths of Alex Pretti, Renee Good and others at the hands of federal officers, Gomez stated in his weekly column, published by Angelus News, a Catholic news outlet, that he is calling for “order and peace” in the streets, claiming that immigration laws should be enforced, but differently. 

"As a pastor, my heart aches for our people and for our country. We pray for those who have lost their lives or been injured. We pray for the safety of our law enforcement officers, and for wisdom for our leaders. We pray especially for our immigrant brothers and sisters, who are powerless and caught in the middle of this struggle, living in fear for their futures. The country cannot go on like this," wrote Gomez in his column. 

 Additionally, he has also pointed toward a bipartisan bill in Congress, called the Dignity Act (H.R. 4333), mentioning it is not perfect but a good starting point, which is realistic in the current  political landscape.

“The bill would reform the visa and asylum processes, tighten border security and enforcement measures and establish a mandatory, nationwide electronic verification system for employers,” said Gomez.

He also said, “It would provide a path to a legal status for the millions of undocumented people who have been living and working in the country for five years or more, and also a path to citizenship for the 2.5 million ‘Dreamers.’”

The Dignity Act (H.R. 4333) was introduced to Congress by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, [R-FL-27] in last summerr and has seen no movement with still no hearings scheduled. 

“The bill holds undocumented immigrants accountable for breaking federal law, requiring them to undergo a criminal background check, pay back taxes they owe and it imposes a stiff penalty fee,” wrote Gomez. “The bill would also sharply limit enforcement actions at ‘sensitive locations’ such as churches, hospitals, schools and courthouses.”